Dassault Aviation announces the launch of the new Falcon 8X plane, the newest addition to the Falcon family in the ultra long range category.

The Falcon 8X will offer a range of 6,450 nm (11,945 km) and will feature the longest cabin of any Falcon. The new plane retains all the regular attributes of the Falcon range including low operating economics and remarkable operating flexibility.

Announcing the Falcon 8X as the company’s new flagship product, Dassault Aviation Chairman and CEO, Eric Trappier said that the new plane builds on Dassault expertise in aerodynamics, in precision design and manufacturing, and in advanced digital flight controls, embodying the best of Falcons that have come before with the most capability of any Falcon ever.

Trappier adds that with two new aircraft in development, the 5X and 8X, Dassault will now be able to offer a family of six jets designed to meet the widest possible range of operator needs at the upper end of the business jet spectrum.

With eight passengers and three crew, the Falcon 8X will be capable of flying 6,450 nm non-stop at M.80. With its ultra long range capabilities, the Falcon 8X will also be able to perform an extensive list of one-leg missions such as Beijing to New York, Hong Kong to Seattle, Paris to Singapore and Sao Paulo to Moscow.

The Falcon 8X will be equipped with three PW307D engines delivering 6,722 lbs of thrust each. Combined with improvements to wing design, the new power plant will make the 8X up to 35% more fuel efficient than any other aircraft in the ultra long range segment, affording a corresponding savings in operating costs.

The Falcon 8X is expected to have a balanced field length of about 6,000 ft (1,829 m) and an approach speed of 106 kts (197 kph) at typical landing weight.

The Falcon 8X will be equipped with a totally redesigned cockpit modelled after the Falcon 5X. It will feature a new generation of the EASy flight deck equipped with a head-up display that combines synthetic and enhanced vision and offers a dual HUD capability.

At 13m, the Falcon 8X cabin is the longest in the range, enabling customers to get the most diverse selection of cabin layouts on the market. Three galley sizes, two with a crew-rest option, are available. Operators will have an extensive selection of passenger seating areas of varying lengths that can support different lavatory layouts, including a lavatory with shower.

The Falcon 8X is already at an advanced stage of production with the first airframe expected to be assembled at Dassault's Bordeaux-Merignac, France facility in the coming months. An extensive expansion project at Dassault's Little Rock, Arkansas facility will break ground shortly, enabling it to accommodate completion of the new Falcon 8X and Falcon 5X models.

First flight is expected in early 2015 with certification in the middle of 2016 and initial deliveries before the end of 2016.

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